Transaction terminal with vertical weigh scale and methods of operation

ABSTRACT

A transaction terminal includes a vertically integrated bagging weigh scale and a vertically integrated scanner. The scale includes two posts that extend horizontally out from the terminal and upon which a bag hangs. Items placed in the bag cause displacement of the posts and/or pressure detected on the posts resulting in a recorded weight by a weight sensor of the scale. A current recorded weight of the bag is reported from the scale to the terminal during a transaction as each item is placed into the bag. The terminal uses the item weights to record prices for those items sold by weight and to verify that items scanned by the scanner and placed in the bag have expected weights for those items.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/664,385, filed Oct. 25, 2019, which application and publication are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Increasingly consumers and retailers are relying on Self-Service (SS) checkout stations. These stations provide consumers with the ability to self-scan item barcodes, self-weigh produce items, and self-pay for their transactions without the assistance of any store staff. These stations save the retailers in staffing costs by allowing the refocusing of existing staff towards customer attention and experience, and by also improving customer checkout queue wait times by moving customers from cashier-assisted lanes to the SS checkout stations, which is especially beneficial during heavy traffic at the retailer.

However, existing SS checkout stations are bulky and occupy valuable space within the retail stores. Moreover, these stations are challenging to customers attempting to check out with more than just a few items. Customers must place items on an entry shelf, scan the items, and place the items in bags. Typically, all bags must remain on the bag carousel during the checkout process because a bagging scale located under the bag carousel maintains weights for the bags as items are scanned and placed in the bags. Any discrepancy in weights automatically trigger an interrupt at the checkout stations requiring staff to come over, briefly inspect the transaction items, and usually override the interrupt, so that the customer can continue with their transaction at the station.

Furthermore, with produce items, the items must be placed on the scanner/weigh plate by itself and weighed by the station and then removed from the scanner/weigh plate and placed in a bag on the bagging carousel, where weights are again inspected by the station to include the added weight of the already weighed produce item.

Moreover, the combined scanner/weigh plate of existing SS checkout stations is designed to both scan item barcodes from items that do not requiring weighing and weigh produce items. The glass through which the scanner images the item barcodes can be susceptible to spillage damage and can collect debris, which is especially true as produce is placed on the combined scanner/weigh plate. Because of this, retailers often deploy bioptic scanners, which use mirrors and image sensors to scan item barcodes both horizontally (on the plate that also weighs produce items) and vertically to ensure that the item barcode is captured from a variety of angles and ensure that the item barcode can be captured when the horizontal plate is dirty with debris. These combined function devices require a larger space footprint within the stations and are expensive but appear to be a necessity in the industry. Furthermore, the combined function devices are not the most user friendly for wheelchair users, which often requires to add external interface navigation devices in order to meet current disability-accessibility regulations.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, a transaction terminal with a vertical weigh scale and methods of operation are presented.

According to an aspect, a transaction terminal with a vertically integrated weigh scale is presented. The transaction terminal comprises a vertically integrated scanner. The vertically integrated weigh scale comprises two horizontally extending posts configured to hold a bag on one end and attach to a weight sensor on a different end. As items are identified during a transaction at the transaction terminal and placed in the bag, the vertically integrated scale is configured to report a current weight for the bag having the items to a transaction manager of the transaction terminal for item pricing when needed and item-weight security processing during the transaction at the transaction terminal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a transaction terminal with a vertical bagging scale, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 1B is a diagram of a front view of a vertical bagging scale, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 1C is a diagram of a cross-sectional view of the vertical bagging scale, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 1D is a block diagram of components of the transaction terminal having a vertical weigh/bagging scale and a vertical scanner, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a method for operating a transaction terminal with a vertical weigh/bagging scale, according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a transaction terminal with a vertical bagging scale, according to an example embodiment. It is to be noted that the components are shown schematically in greatly simplified form, with only those components relevant to understanding of the embodiments being illustrated.

Furthermore, the various components (that are identified in the FIGS. 1A-1D) are illustrated and the arrangement of the components is presented for purposes of illustration only. It is to be noted that other arrangements with more or less components are possible without departing from the teachings of a transaction terminal with a vertical weigh scale and methods of operation presented herein and below.

As used herein “weigh scale” and “bagging scale” may be used interchangeably and synonymously. Further, the terms “customer,” “consumer,” “user,”, and “operator” may be used interchangeably and synonymously herein; these terms refer to an individual that is conducting a transaction to checkout at transaction terminal 100 having an integrated vertical bagging scale 130.

The transaction terminal 100 includes a display 110, a vertically integrated scanner 120, and a vertically integrated bagging scale 130. Terminal 100 also includes a processor and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a variety of executable instructions executed by the processor. Similarly, both the bagging scale 130 and the scanner 120 may include their own processors and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions executed by their corresponding processors.

As a consumer scans item for purchase at terminal 100 via the scanner 120, the items are placed in bags 140 that vertically hang from the vertically integrated weigh scale 130. Weights are reported back to a transaction manager 121 (shown in the FIG. 1D), Produce items that require weights during the transaction are placed in a bag 140 and the item weight reported back to transaction manager 121 for a price assignment based on an identified produce type. Existing mechanism to identify the produce type may be used, such as image identification by a camera integrated into terminal 100 and/or customer input through a transaction interface presented on a touchscreen display 110.

Terminal 100 is vertically oriented such that a customer can stand directly in front of terminal 100 and access scanner 120 and touchscreen display 110. Although not shown in FIGS. 1A-1D, terminal 100 also minimally includes a payment card reader, cash accepter and dispenser, coin accepter and dispenser, and receipt printer. Terminal 100 may also include wireless transceivers for Bluetooth® and/or Near Field Communication (NFC).

Conventional SS checkout stations require a large protruding front area that separates the customer from the display and other peripherals such as payment devices and currency/coin acceptors/dispensers. The combines scale/scanner protrudes significantly forward toward the users, which takes away from optimal usability of the station and its peripherals (including touch screen) and occupies valuable retail space. Moreover, when a produce item is purchased, the customer takes at least two steps with conventional stations for placing the item on the combined scanner/scale and then placing the produce item in a bag (where it is weighed a second time for security cross checking).

These issues are solved with terminal 100 and vertically integrated bagging scale 130. The space between the customer and the display 110 is removed and the customer is directly proximate to both vertically integrated scanner 120, bagging scale 130, and display 110 (as well other payment peripherals and currency/coin accepters/dispensers). There is just one step when purchasing produce, which is the customer inserting the produce into a bag 140 that is already hanging from scale 130.

Furthermore, the sensitivity issues associated with horizontal bagging security carrousels are removed with bagging scale 130. Convention weight-checking bagging carrousels have far too many false positives because customers may purchase items that do not cause a bottom of the bag to even reach the weigh plate. Typically, if the weight of an item from an item database is below a predefined threshold, the weight of the purchased item is not even checked because of this issue. Furthermore, customers may place purses or personal effects on the scale causing issues. Because bagging scale 130 hangs vertically items can be dropped into the bag 140 with ease by the customer and weighed. All items (produce and non-produce) can have weights checked against an item weight database for security. The weights are more accurate and less inclined to have any interference by customer personal effects. Once a bag 140 is full, it is removed and placed in customer cart, there is no need to maintain a total weight for all the bags as is typically the case for conventional horizontal bagging carrousels. There is no need to track items from scale to bag and reweigh the items with terminal 100.

As an example, considering the following example transaction. A customer scans an item barcode of a bottle of window cleaner by passing the item barcode across the field-of-view of scanner 120. Bagging scale 130 reports the weight through a weight reporter 136 to transaction manager 121. Transaction manager 121 retrieves weight of that item from the item weight database, which indicates the item weighs 2 lbs. The 2 lbs. expected for the item is checked against the reported weight received from the bagging scale 130 and the item weight is verified assuming the reported weight is within an allowed threshold difference from the expected 2 lbs. Next, the customer scans a can of tuna, the weight addition to bag 140 is reported, transaction manager 121 retrieves the expected item weight from the item weight database as 0.5 lbs. The reported weight for the bag 140 having the window cleaner and the tuna is compared against 2.5 lbs. and if the reported weight for the bag 140 is within a permitted threshold weight of the 2.5 lbs., item verification is obtained. A produce item can simply then be identified through the user-facing interface of transaction manager 121 using touchscreen display 110 by the customer, dropped into bag 140 with the window cleaner and the tuna, the bagging scale 130 reports the total weight, and transaction manager computes the price for the produce item based on the additional weight being reported for the bag when the produce item was inserted into the bag 140.

FIG. 1B is a diagram of a front view and isolated view of a vertical bagging scale 130, according to an example embodiment.

The scale 130 includes tabs 131 and posts 132. Bags 140 freely hang from posts 131, as items are added to bag 140, the posts 132 are pulled by weight of the item downward and weight sensor 133 (shown in FIG. 1C) then records the weight for the bag based on the displacement of or pressure exerted downward on posts 131 from supporting the weight of the bag 140 with the item.

In an embodiment, the scale 130 includes the two horizontal or protruding hook posts 132 using a vertical linear digital scale where weight is measured by sensor 133 as the bag 140 slides down on a rail that measures pressure and translates into a weight for the bag 130.

FIG. 1C is a diagram of a cross-sectional view of the vertical bagging scale 130, according to an example embodiment.

Bagging scale 130 includes a bagging assembly that allows a single bag from a collection of bags 140 to be pulled over a bag dispensing hook 141 onto post 132. Dispensing hook 141 includes a space 142 on the top and the bottom to prevent the weight associated with the collection of bags 140 to affect any weight measurement captured by sensor 133 from a bag 140 with items that is on posts 132. That is gap 142 ensures that the weight from the collection of bags is supported by the hooks 141 and does not apply any downward force on posts 132.

A customer pulls a single bag 140 forward over dispensing hook 141 onto post 132, inserts items as scanned by scanner 120 or as produce items are identified from a pick list of produce presented through a transaction interface of transaction manager 121 on touchscreen display 110 for customer selection. Sensor 133 records the weight of just the bag 132 hanging from posts 132 and weights are reported to transaction manager 121 for transaction processing.

Bagging scale 133 reports weights through a connection 134 to terminal 100.

In embodiment, bagging scale 130 also includes a wireless transceiver 135 for reporting wireless tag information, such as when a specialized bag includes a unique identifier, which can be associated with a specific customer and a specific customer account and payment method. In this embodiment, the bag is a reusable bag that may be separately purchased by the customer. This also permits automatic account payment for items of the transaction by the transaction manager 121 using the reported unique bag identifier from wireless transceiver 135. In an embodiment, the wireless transceiver 135 is a Near Field Communication (NFC) or Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver.

In an embodiment, bagging scale 130 may include a security de-tagging or de-activating sensor 135 that automatically deactivates any security tag of an item placed in bag 140 during transaction processing.

In an embodiment, bagging scale 130 includes both a wireless bag transceiver 135 and a secure deactivation sensor 135.

FIG. 1D is a block diagram of components of the transaction terminal 100 having a vertical weigh/bagging scale 130, a vertical scanner 120, and touchscreen display 110, according to an example embodiment.

Scale 130 includes processor and non-transitory computer-readable storage media having executable instructions that when executed by the processor performs operations associated with self-calibration 136, a weight reporter 137, and a bag identifier reporter 138. Scale 130 also includes an NFC sensor/transceiver 135.

In an embodiment, self-calibration allows a customer to remove a bag 140 and place a customer's reusable bag onto posts 132. The transaction interface of transaction manager 121 provides an option at the start of a transaction on terminal 100 for the customer to use the customer's provided reusable bag. Customer is then instructed through the interface to remove the supplied bag 140 and place the customer's bag on posts 132. Once the customer confirms that this was done, transaction manager 121 instructs the self-calibration 136 to be processed on scale 130. Self-calibration 136 recalibrates the sensor 133 to report zero weight for the customer's bag. The transaction then begins. Alternatively, customer may (before any item is scanned at terminal 100) remove the provided bag 140 and place the customer's reusable bag on posts 132, weight reporter reports the weight to transaction manager 121. Transaction manager 121 recognizes that no transaction has been initiated, starts a transaction, and ask the customer to confirm that a reusable customer bag was empty and placed on posts 132. Self-calibration 136 is then initiated on scale 130.

Weight reporter 137 reports weights from sensors 133 during the transaction to transaction manager 121. NFC sensor translates wireless bag tags sensed on posts 132 into unique bag identifiers, which bag identifier (ID) reporter 138 reports to transaction manager 121 for embodiments with unique bags linked to customer accounts.

Scanner 120 reports item bar codes read by scanner 120 to transaction manager 121 using an item ID reporter 121.

In an embodiment, the vertical location of display 110 can be adjusted by a customer to raise or lower the height of the display relative to the customer on the terminal 100.

In an embodiment, the vertical location of scale 120 can be adjusted by a customer to raise of lower the height of the scale 120 relative to the customer on the terminal 100.

In an embodiment, the vertical locations of both the display 110 and the scanner 120 can be custom adjusted to a preferred height desired by the customer on terminal 100 together or independent of one another.

In an embodiment, terminal 100 is a Self-Service Terminal (SST), a SS checkout station/terminal, a Point-Of-Sale (POS) terminal operated by a cashier assisting the customer with a transaction checkout, or a kiosk.

These and other embodiments are now discussed with reference to the FIGS. 2-4 .

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a method 200 for operating a vertically integrated weigh/bagging scale, according to an example embodiment. The software module(s) that implements the method 200 is referred to as a “weigh scale manager.” The weigh scale manager is implemented as executable instructions programmed and residing within memory and/or a non-transitory computer-readable (processor-readable) storage medium and executed by one or more processors of a device. The processor of the device that executes the weigh scale manager are specifically configured and programmed to process the weigh scale manager. The weigh scale manager may include one or more connections during operation; any such network connections may be wired, wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless.

In an embodiment, the device that executes the weigh scale manager is vertical weigh scale 130.

The device that executes the weigh scale manager is vertically integrated into a transaction terminal 110. In an embodiment, terminal 110 is an SST, a POS terminal, a kiosk, or a SS checkout terminal.

In an embodiment, the weigh scale manager is all of or some combination of: self-calibration 136, weight reporter 137, and bag ID reporter 138.

At 210, the weigh scale manager detects a change in weight for a bag that hangs vertically from two horizontally extending posts of the vertically integrated weigh scale 130.

At 220, a weigh sensor 133 of the vertically integrated weigh scale 130 obtains a current weight for the bag based on the change in weight detected at 210.

At 230, weigh scale manager provides the current weight to a transaction manager of the transaction terminal during a transaction being conducted at the transaction terminal.

In an embodiment, at 240, the weigh scale manager detects removal of the bag from the two horizontally extending posts and further detects a new weight (through the weigh sensor 133) for a new bag placed on the two horizontally extending posts. The new weight exceeds a calibrated weight associated with the original bag from 210.

In an embodiment of 240 and at 241, the weigh scale manager processes a self-calibration on the vertically integrated weigh scale 130 to account for a new weight of the new bag, and the weigh scale manager iterates back to 210 after calibration waiting for a change in weight for the new bag indicating that an item is added to the new bag during the transaction.

In an embodiment of 241 and at 242, the weigh scale manager detects a wireless tag associated with the new bag and reports a bag identifier associated with the wireless tag to the transaction manager of the transaction terminal during the transaction.

Furthermore, although the software modules are illustrated as executing on one piece of hardware, the software may be distributed over multiple processors or in any other convenient manner.

The above description is illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of embodiments should therefore be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In the foregoing description of the embodiments, various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting that the claimed embodiments have more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Description of the Embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A transaction terminal, comprising: a weigh scale integrated into the transaction terminal, wherein the weigh scale comprises: two posts that extend horizontally out from a front surface of the weigh scale; a weight sensor attached to first ends of the two posts and located within a housing of the weigh scale; and second ends of the two posts adapted to receive and to hold a bag that hangs from a portion of the two posts while the weigh scale records a weight for the bag and reports the weight to the transaction terminal; wherein the two posts are adapted to have a post height adjusted by custom raising or lowering the post height by a customer performing a transaction at the transaction terminal.
 2. The transaction terminal of claim 1 further comprising, a scanner comprising a vertical scan window adapted to capture an item code of an item and report the item code to the transaction terminal.
 3. The transaction terminal of claim 2, wherein the two posts of the weigh scale are situated below the vertical scan window of the scanner.
 4. The transaction terminal of claim 1 further comprising, a bagging assembly comprising two hooks and adapted to hold a collection of empty bags, wherein the bagging assembly is situated adjacent to a rear portion of the two posts, and wherein the bagging assembly adapted to slide an empty bag from the collection of empty bags off the two hooks and onto the portion of the two posts.
 5. The transaction terminal of claim 1 further comprising, a wireless transceiver integrated into the weigh scale, wherein the wireless transceiver adapted to wirelessly read tag information attached or integrated into the bag and adapted to report the tag information to the transaction terminal.
 6. The transaction terminal of claim 1 further comprising, a security de-tagging or de-activating sensor integrated into the weigh scale, wherein the security de-tagging or de-activating sensor adapted to deactivate a security tag of an item placed in the bag.
 7. The transaction terminal of claim 1, wherein the weigh scale comprises a self-calibration function accessible through a transaction interface of the transaction terminal, wherein the self-calibration function is adapted to recalibrate the weigh scale to zero after an empty personal bag of a customer is placed on the two posts and the bag is removed from the two posts.
 8. The transaction terminal of claim 1 further comprising a height adjustable touchscreen display that is adapted to have a height of the height adjustable touchscreen display custom raised and lowered by a customer performing a transaction at the transaction terminal.
 9. The transaction terminal of claim 1, wherein the weigh scale comprises an integrated scanner, wherein the integrated scanner comprises a vertical scan window to scan item codes and to report item codes to the transaction terminal, wherein the vertical scan window is adapted to raise and lower a vertical scan window height with the post height of the two posts as the post height is adjusted by the customer performing the transaction at the transaction terminal.
 10. The transaction terminal of claim 1 further comprising: a bag shelf affixed to a first side of the transaction terminal; and a basket shelf affixed to a second side of the transaction terminal, wherein the second side is an opposite side from the first side.
 11. The transaction terminal of claim 1, wherein the transaction terminal is a Self-Service Terminal (SST) for self-checkouts by a customer or is a Point-Of-Sale (POS) terminal for assisted checkouts of the customer performed by a cashier on behalf of the customer.
 12. A weigh scale, comprising: two posts extending horizontally out from a housing and perpendicular to a front surface of the housing, wherein the two posts extend from first ends located within the housing to second ends that extend away from the housing; and a weight sensor attached to the first ends of the two posts within the housing; wherein the weigh scale is adapted to connect to a peripheral port of a transaction terminal to provide weights recorded by the weight sensor of non-empty bags that hang from the second ends of the two posts during transactions at the transaction terminal; and an integrated scanner comprising a vertical scan window that is adapted to capture item codes of items that pass in front of the vertical scan window and provide the item codes to the transaction terminal during a given transaction at the transaction terminal; wherein the two posts and the vertical scan window are height adjustable by a customer during a given transaction at the transaction terminal.
 13. The weigh scale of claim 12 further comprising, a bag assembly situated adjacent to a rear portion the two posts, wherein the bag assembly comprises two hooks elevated above a top surface of the two posts to ensure a weight associated with a collection of empty bags that hangs off the two hooks do not place any weight on the two posts, wherein the bag assembly is further adapted to allow a single empty bag from the collection of empty bags to be lifted over the two hooks and slid onto the two posts for a given transaction at the transaction terminal. 